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MPOX OUTBREAK HITS BENUE, RECORDS 31 SUSPECTED CASES
Benue State has recorded 31 suspected cases of Mpox across five Local Government Areas (LGAs) — Makurdi, Ushongo, Gwer East, Katsina-Ala, and Guma.
The Executive Secretary of the Benue State Primary Health Care Board, Mrs. Grace Wende, disclosed this on Thursday during the Benue State Stakeholders Engagement/Townhall Meeting on the Mpox Vaccination Rollout. She explained that seven of the suspected cases had been confirmed.
Represented by the State Immunization Officer (SIO), Mr. Emmanuel Adega, she said 10 unconfirmed cases were recorded in Makurdi, eight in Katsina-Ala, seven in Gwer East, four in Guma, and two in Ushongo LGAs.
According to her, “Of the figures, we have confirmed one case in Gwer East, two cases in Katsina-Ala, three cases in Makurdi, and one case in Guma LGAs. These cases were recorded in June, and samples were collected and taken to the laboratory. The results were released in July.
“As we speak, we have line-listed all the people who came in contact with the confirmed cases. Their names have been taken for vaccination after monitoring them for 43 days, and they did not come down with the disease.”
The Executive Secretary explained that the upcoming Mpox vaccination exercise would not be a statewide programme but restricted to communities at risk of an outbreak.
She urged all stakeholders to support the vaccination exercise and ensure prompt reporting of any suspected case of the disease for urgent attention by health authorities.
In his presentation, the Social and Behaviour Change Health Consultant with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Victor Olaniyi, noted that “Mpox is an infectious viral disease that can occur in humans and other animals.”
He stated that symptoms of the disease include rashes that form blisters and then crust over, fever, and swollen lymph nodes.
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He warned that the disease could easily spread but assured that the vaccines were safe. Because of the limited number allocated to the state, he said, the exercise would target specific communities.
Olaniyi also explained that the vaccine, which was approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) for emergency use, would be administered to people aged 18 years and above.
“The vaccine is safe, effective, and free. Two doses are required for full protection. We must also continue to practice hygiene and avoid contact with people showing symptoms of Mpox,” he said.
